Did you know that increasing your employees' comfort will result in a 2-10% increase in productivity? At 2 %, that's a full week of work over the course of a year per employee! How much money is your business loosing by not using ergonomics in your business strategy?
We offer ergonomic tools to improve employee safety, wellbeing and company profit through consultation, training and products. Group training sessions or 1:1 consultations focused on reducing injury and discomfort among lab personnel in a variety of settings including, but not limited to microscopy, animal handling, pipetting, and biological safety cabinets / Laminar Flow hoods.
- Individual
- Task
- Job Position
- Department
- Facility-wide
For a full listing all in one place please view our Laboratory Catalogue or Download It Here.
Through our comprehensive surveys and workstation evaluations, not only do we identify problem areas, we also provide customized and effective recommendations at all levels of the organization.
Individual Evaluations
LENGTH 45 – 60 minutes (onsite)
Choose our full ergonomic evaluation for an employee who has an injury, discomfort, or medical condition. We send out a symptom survey and consent form prior to the appointment, then review with the individual onsite. We employ an educational approach, make immediate adjustments as able and as appropriate to past or current reported discomfort, and provide a comprehensive handout. Within 10 days of the evaluation, we provide a comprehensive report including the employee concerns, intervention details, before and after photos, and additional recommendations. We also provide two brief remote follow-ups, and circle back to you to close the case – at no additional charge!
LENGTH 1.25 – 1.5 hours (onsite)
If an employee has an injury or disability requiring accommodation or careful attention to reduce the cause of or aggravating factors, choose our most extensive evaluation. We send out a symptom survey and consent form prior to the appointment, then review with the individual onsite. We employ an educational approach, make immediate adjustments onsite as able, and provide a comprehensive handout. The report has a similar content structure to the Ergonomic Evaluation Report. We also provide two brief remote follow-ups, and circle back to you to close the case – at no additional charge!
LENGTH 30 – 60 minutes (phone or videoconference)
Our Virtual Ergonomic Evaluation is a virtual version of our On-Site Ergonomic Evaluation, appropriate for those with a known injury or diagnosis or seeking medical/allied health treatment. We aim to schedule the appointment to occur within 1-2 weeks of first contact with the employee. Prior to the consultation, we send out a symptom survey and request specific photos and workstation measurements via our how-to guide. Our consultants video call (WhatsApp, WebEx, or Zoom phone apps preferred) your employees. To start the evaluation, we review the symptom survey with the employee. We then employ an educational approach and suggest immediate adjustments as appropriate for the reported concerns or discomfort. Within 10 business days of the evaluation, we provide a comprehensive report including the employee concerns, intervention details, photos, and additional recommendations. Occasionally, we will request photos following the consultation to ensure appropriate changes were made. We also provide two brief remote case management follow-ups (at 2 weeks and 8 weeks), and circle back to you to close the case; and if there are lingering issues, we will follow up directly with the employee to try to resolve (up to 10 min. phone call) – all at no additional charge!
LENGTH 20 minutes (per participant) - onsite
Our team of experts offers high impact one-on-one ergonomic and/or wellness consultations on a sign-up basis at health fairs. Ergo consultations include office or home ergonomic education. Wellness consultations include general fitness and nutrition education, and bioelectrical impedance body fat testing and interpretation is available.
Facility or Department Assessments
Don’t know where to start? Our company-wide symptom survey is an industry-leading approach to achieve best practices under global safety standards. Administered anonymously to employees, the survey pinpoints areas and intensity of discomfort associated with various job tasks. Our experts analyze the data and provide a summary of findings prioritizing areas of focus to reduce risk factors. When these surveys are used as an ongoing “surveillance” program, they facilitate the assessment and identification of potential health concerns at an early stage, where corrective actions can minimize business impact. This can be repeated at a minimum of 6 months after intervention.
Another approach to accomplish best practices under global safety standards, this company-wide survey solicits employee feedback on perceived risk factors associated with various job tasks such as exertion, repetition, and awkward postures. Therefore, it is the backbone for employee participation in and ownership of continuous ergonomic and safety improvements. We analyze the data and provide a summary of findings. This assists you in recognizing and prioritizing primary areas of focus to reduce ergonomic risk factors. When these surveys are used as an ongoing “surveillance” program, they facilitate the assessment and identification of potential health concerns at an early stage, where corrective actions can minimize business impact. This can be repeated at a minimum of 6 months after intervention.
This assessment blends lean principles with standardized ergonomic assessment tools to increase productivity, efficiency and profitability while also reducing occupational risk factors. We prefer to collaborate with your employees as well as in-house lean and/or ergonomics team members at a task, job, department or facility level. These evaluations can be “formal” or “informal”, or a blend of both according to your objectives, executive needs, and budget. Call to discuss. Either way, we will provide a detailed report with short, mid, and long term solutions for consideration – often resulting in a 2+-year road map of continuous improvement!
We use an observational approach to identify occupational risk factors at a task, job, department or facility level. A summary is provided prioritizing risks/hazards that were observed and providing short-term solutions as well as suggestions for next steps.
A Functional Job Analysis is a written detailed measurement of the physical demands of a job position. For jobs in the Medium-Heavy-Very Heavy physical demand category or jobs that are highly repetitive. This detailed assessment document is the backbone of your Return to Work, Ergonomic, and Injury Prevention efforts. It eliminates the need for the medical provider to rely solely on the injured worker's verbal descriptions of the physical demands of the job. We validate ours. A validated Functional Job Task Analysis can then be used for:
Hiring and Firing
Workers compensation claims medical review
Early and appropriate return to work
Creation of light duty / modified duty / transitional Return to Work programs
Creation of a physical ability Pre-Work Screen
Compliance with the American's with Disability Act (ADAAA) and EEOC
For more information, please request our article “Is Your Functional Job Task Analysis Functional or is it Missing Important Information”
We provide an array of high impact injury prevention and health and wellness “edutainment” to motivate behavioral change and innovation at all levels of your organization, from the individual employee to the decision-makers.
Ergonomic Workshops
WHO Employees and/or supervisors
LENGTH 1 – 1.5 hours
This live course or narrated Power Point can be customized to address common ergonomic issues in a variety of settings which may include:
Animal husbandry
Microscopy
Laminar flow hoods / biological safety cabinet
Pipetting
Microtomes
Laboratory Ergonomics Narrated PowerPoint
This narrated Power Point provides general information on risk factors for injury related to common laboratory work including BSC/hood, pipetting and microscopy.
Digital Laboratory Ergonomics Checklist
Our comprehensive form-fillable checklist allows employees to independently make workstation adjustments following ergonomic guidelines and indicate where they are having problems. It covers the chair/stoll, work surface (bench, fume hood, BSC) work method, pipetting, microtome work, fine motor, and enviroment.
WHO Employees and/or supervisors
LENGTH 1 – 2 hours
This workshop focuses on safe mechanics of the whole body - including the back, neck, shoulder, arms, and legs. We review the symptoms and causes of cumulative trauma and how to reduce the risks associated with those aches and pains. Lifting techniques will be demonstrated and practiced. This training is most effective if it is preceded by 1-2 hours of onsite observation of work being performed. During this observation, photos will be taken and then incorporated into the training for customization, improved retention and problem-solving. Next best option is to send us photos of employees doing the tasks you are concerned about and having a review call to plan the training.
This is a Self-Guided Program
WHO All employees
LENGTH 1.5 hours (optional live demo and practice workshop)
The majority of people have occasional lower back pain and don’t know what to do about it. The uniqueness of our program is that it is safe for all abilities with low time investment. It equally emphasizes strengthening and stabilization for the abdominals, gluteals, and deep low back muscles, as well as having a stretching component. Our program is based on science and rehabilitation principles rather than misinformed fads. This workshop provides an overall orientation of how to use the Protect Your Back!© Manuals, covers the science and theory behind the program, and demonstrates the exercises and stretches in Levels 1 and 2 (out of our 5 level self-guided program) for optimal back health and function.
Protect Your Back!© Manuals
This is a safe self-guided 5-level program for optimal back health and function, based on rehabilitation principles. These full color manuals include tracking guides at each level. Volume pricing.
Protect Your Back! © Video
This video covers an overall orientation of how to use the manual, the science and theory behind the program, demonstrates the exercises in Levels 1 and 2 (out of 5 total) and the stretches. Terms of Use Agreement required.This video covers an overall orientation of how to use the manual, the science and theory behind the program, demonstrates the exercises in Levels 1 and 2 (out of 5 total) and the stretches. Terms of Use Agreement required.
Wellness Workshops
WHO All employees
LENGTH 1 hour
This workshop teaches or reminds non-athletes and athletes how to eat for optimal health and performance. Learn tricks for healthier eating with a busy lifestyle, and get started on your healthy eating journey with simple recipes.
Healthy Recipes
Receive monthly recipes to support your wellness efforts.
WHO All employees
LENGTH 1 hour
This is a superb first-workshop to support wellness efforts and ergonomic efforts, as it sets the stage for and motivates personal accountability for being healthy & safe!
WHO All employees (up to 20)
LENGTH 45 – 60 minutes
Performing a few stretches helps to keep blood circulating, decrease effects of static and repetitive movement, and improve postural imbalances. These stretches are designed to be performed briefly throughout the workday.
Full color, and co-branded posters with photographs and written descriptions allow employees to walk themselves through each stretch. This can be purchased separately or in conjunction with our live or remote workshop. Licensing for electronic posters also available. Volume pricing.
Stretch Breaks!© Pocket Guides
The size of a checkbook register, or a custom size, these pocket guides fit easily into a pocket. They have black and white sketches with written descriptions of each stretch. Licensing for digital pocket guides also available. Available with waterproof paper and ink. Volume pricing.
Looking for simple, quick solutions to immediately start improving the wellness of your workforce? Look no further.
Wellness Articles
Topics include nutrition, fitness, sleep, and other general wellness issues.
Resistive Tubing Exercise Posters
Feature exercises essential to stabilizing your body and performing functional tasks safely and efficiently.
Stability Ball Exercise Manuals
Feature exercises effective at developing core and joint strength and stability, reducing risk of injury.
Cable Machine Exercise Posters
Feature joint and spinal stability and mobility exercises, enhancing muscle recruitment during functional tasks
Training Programs
WHO In-House Personnel who deal with ergonomics, facilities or injury issues, such as HR, Facilities, Safety Manager, Industrial Hygienist, or Purchasing
LENGTH 8 hours
Learn how to conduct in-house laboratory ergonomic screens and provide appropriate interventions.
WHO Management and supervisors
LENGTH 2 – 3 hours
This workshop describes what happens physiologically in the body as we age and measures to accommodate those changes in the workplace to keep all employees (no matter their age) engaged and injury free. This also addresses ergonomic challenges existing in the workplace that are often present regardless of age.
WHO Management and supervisors
LENGTH 1 – 1.25 hours
Teach your management and executives the financial and health benefits of ergonomic interventions.
Digital Ergonomics Support Products
Laboratory Ergonomics Digital Training Handout Bundle Cost $400
Our collection of digital handouts allows laboratory employees to independently make workstation adjustments following ergonomic guidelines. This can be the simplest and fastest resource for your employees to refer to frequently. The “Quick Check” can identify issues needing internal or professional support. You decide which handouts you want to post on your network. After a signed Terms of Use Agreement, we’ll send you all 6 PDF’s and you can upload them to your internal network drive.
The set includes:
- Lab Stools: regular and Saddle style
- Reaching at your Work Surface
- Work Method and Workflow
- Pipetting
- Storage Guidelines
- Laboratory Ergonomics “Quick Check” Checklist
Prevention through Design is the process for reducing occupational health and safety hazards during design and purchasing processes to prevent work related injuries, maximize efficiency and improve profitability associated with various job tasks and facilities. It is considered a world-class best practice!
We do not want you to build or configure your work areas, furniture or equipment in a way that causes injury risk and human inefficiencies…ultimately wasting money retrofitting later! Whether a reconfiguration, tenant improvement or a new construction, we can collaborate with your architect, design team, and furniture vendors to provide recommendations that suit the job tasks, job equipment, and workflow of your employees. Incorporating custom, expert-based ergonomics (not ergonomic labels) into your design will create safer, more productive, and more sustainable work areas for your people.
Starter Design Guidelines
Not ready for custom design recommendations? Try our off-the-shelf Starter Design Guidelines that provide generic design considerations.
Often we see a variety of types of equipment in a facility, most of it lacking legitimate or sufficient beneficial ergonomic features. Ergonomic equipment purchasing guidelines help streamline procurement and avoid potentially harmful or unnecessary purchases. We can work with your team to provide a customized list of preferred ergonomic equipment based on an evaluation of your space. We can also work with you to develop standardized purchasing guidelines and ergo criteria for equipment specific to your organization, which can include collaboration with your vendors to create custom order forms or website links. We are here to assist you in the purchasing process as much or as little as you’d like, and offer an extensive list of itemized services to custom build a package based on your specific needs.
This dove-tails well with the Train The Evaluator: Laboratory Ergonomic Screens© Course, as your in-house specialist can then use the established guidelines with confidence when making recommendations.
Starter Equipment Guidelines
Looking for a simple solution now? Choose our basic off-the-shelf Starter Equipment Guidelines, which includes a general list of preferred ergonomic equipment specifications and ideal features, helping you begin the process of selecting and standardizing your equipment.
We can develop new or audit existing policies and procedures within your ergonomic / health / safety departments. This can include topics such as ergonomic equipment policy, requests, protocols, remote worker issues, and general guidelines.